There is a need, particularly in aircraft and aerospace installations, for compact and light weight power systems. Such power systems typically include a power converter that utilizes multiple highpower switches having voltage and current ratings on the order of 1,000 volts and 1,000 amps, respectively. Such power switches dissipate substantial amounts of power and thus develop heat which can adversely affect the performance of the device and other electrical components in the vicinity thereof. The need to reduce system size and weight, however, greatly complicates the removal of heat.
Prior generating systems have utilized heat exchangers to which semiconductors or other high power handling components are mounted. Such heat exchangers have been of the usual cooling fin type or have been of the type which utilize circulating cooling fluid. An example of the latter type of heat exchanger is known as a jet impingement cooler developed by the assignee of the instant application and which is shown in detail in Bland, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,171, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Jet impingement coolers are generally more efficient at heat removal than fin-type heat exchangers that rely upon movement of cooling fluid in a direction parallel to the faces of the fins.
Heidler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,070,729 discloses a modularized electrical network assembly including a plurality of triangularly shaped miniature circuit subassemblies disposed about a heat exchanger and enclosed in a housing. The heat exchanger includes fins separating the subassemblies wherein the fins provide means for circulating a cooling fluid adjacent each of the subassemblies to remove heat developed thereby.
Sutrina, U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,964 discloses a semiconductor package wherein a plurality of generally equally angularly spaced semiconductors are located in a space between concentric power buses.
Patents disclosing stacked semiconductors with means carrying away heat developed thereby include Grandia, U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,471, Bourbeau, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,489, Pollard, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,850, Lutfy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,580 (assigned to the assignee of the instant application), Parks, U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,355 and Carlson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,249.